There's Always Time For Tea
by BuggyNess
Summary: Preview of future chapter of my other story "Paper Lanterns" Please read and review both!


There's Always Time for Tea  
  
The pain was but a distant memory for Ryoko. She now found herself transported back the mountain home of the Masaki family. She raised her hand to her face and realized a finely embroidered silk kimono replaced her tattered battle suit. Her war weary body was no longer upon the ship of Tokimi's warrior, but resting comfortably in a garden upon the mountain of the Masaki Shrine. She recognized the garden, however, it never seem so well pruned and quiet as now.   
  
Suddenly, the sound of bells chiming echoed through the garden. Ring. Ring. Ring. Ring. Ring. Ring. Ring.  
  
Ryoko quietly averted her gaze from the flora around her to a figure materializing in her field of vision. It was her Tenchi, clad in the flowing robes of Jurain nobility. She stood in awe of him and how handsome he had become. Ryoko rushed to his side and was about to exclaim the love she held in her heart when he silently raised his finger to his lips and mouthed "shush". Something in his gentle brown eyes which twinkled in the evening light prevented her from making a sound. She was mute. All she could do was follow his lead as they both walked through the garden toward the chashitsu or teahouse.   
  
The pirate has seen this little structure before, but paid little attention to it while she was on Earth. It seemed like an insignificant building that Lord Yosho must have used to store junk. Her memory of the teahouse on Earth was that its rice paper doors and windows were missing or torn and it was quite dusty and unkempt. Tenchi had always said that the chashitsu was more important to his grandmother than to Yosho and sadly fell to disrepair upon her death, although Tenchi's mother, had tried to resurrect the old structure after she and Nobouyuki were married only to finish it days before she got sick. His father didn't have the heart to go there or to keep it up any further after she died so nature just took it over. Ryoko wondered how it now had become so beautiful.  
  
The pair slowly walked to the teahouse. They approached the tsukubai., a stone basin which held cool spring water. Tenchi reached for a small wooden ladle and scooped some water which he poured over his left hand, then his right. Perhaps breaking traditional etiquette, he reached for Ryoko's hand and held it over the basin and in the same, slow movements, washed hers, letting the cool water flow over both of their hands. He smiled, but again, said not a word. Ryoko was unable to say anything herself.   
  
"Chaji!" Ryoko thought. "He is performing a tea ceremony for me! I'm starved! Where's the food?" Ryoko remembered Ayeka telling her of this tradition after reading of it in some romance novel…or was it a history book? She could not remember. Tenchi never spoke of chaji before and she didn't even know where he learned to perform it. At this moment, she didn't' really care.   
  
The boy led Ryoko to a small door, the only way to enter the teahouse, it was only about three feet high. Before they entered, Tenchi removed his sword, the Tenchiken, from inside his robe and placed it upon a wooden rack to the left of the small door. He and Ryoko had to bow to enter the room. Once inside the smell of fragrant flowers wafted through the air, heightening her sense of happiness. The small room was bare, except for the flowers and a small stove set into the floor. On the far wall was a nook and on it hung a scroll. The characters upon it read: "Love vanquishes the boundaries built by the sword." The pirate smiled and turned to Tenchi. He answered her smile with one of his own and ushered her to sit.   
  
The two sat across from each other. Almost instantly, rain pattered the low roof of the teahouse. The air became sweet with flowers and moist with humidity as the evening shower refreshed the ceremony.   
  
Tenchi produced a small bowl. Inside this ceramic dish rests a small whisk, a bamboo ladle and a pure white linen cloth. He set the bowl in front of him and arranged the other implements. He smiled again and prepared a small fire in the stone hearth on which a modest metal kettle is placed. Tenchi gracefully poured water in the kettle.   
  
"The water represents Yin…the fire under it represents Yang." He uttered quietly. Ryoko was not able to answer.  
  
In his hand, he now had a fine silk cloth. It was pale blue and reminded Ryoko of the color of his light hawk wings.   
  
"This represents my soul." He referred to the silk cloth as folded it gracefully before him.   
  
Tenchi ladled a splash of hot water from the kettle into the smaller ceramic bowl before him. He rinsed the small whisk in the water, emptied the bowl and then carefully wiped it with the plainer white linen cloth. Next he picked up a small container holding the tea and a tiny bamboo ladle. Tenchi scooped three ladles of tea into the bowl. He then poured another splash of hot water upon the tea powder and using the whisk made a thick green paste. Finally, he poured more water upon that making the tea a more liquid consistency.  
  
The boy smiled humbly and slowly raised the bowl with both hands and offered it to Ryoko. She blushed and accepted the bowl with both hands.   
  
"How do I know what to do?" She wondered as she rotated the bowl slowly in her hands and delicately raised it up to her lips to enjoy the pure, if not somewhat astringent taste of the tea. She wiped the edge of the bowl with a cloth she had before her and with both hands offered it to her Tenchi.  
  
He returned her smile and accepted the bowl and in turn, rotated it in his hands and raised it up to his lips to drink. He set it down before him as their eyes meet. Suddenly, the winds picked up outside the teahouse and lightening crackled through the clouds overhead.  
  
"Ryoko, I believe in you."  
  
"What?" She is now able to talk.  
  
"This is nothing but an illusion, but the real world can be this way if you only will it."   
  
"Tenchi?" One of the rice paper windows is ripped apart by wind and rain. The fire is blown about and the flowers are scattered. "What do you mean?" Ryoko yells.  
  
"I believe in you!" He responds and then disappeared.   
  
"Tenchi!" As Ryoko screams, the blue silk cloth is whipped around the room in the rainy wind. It comes to rest upon the hearth and is ignited by the fire.   
  
"No!" Ryoko grabbed the kettle and extinguishes the flame. She holds the smoldering fabric to her heart. "Tenchi!"   
  
As she utters these words, her consciousness is slammed back into her body.  
  
  
  
  
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Ok, I'm no expert on the tea ceremony, but did do some research. Please don't flame me for messing it up, I'm still learning! Constructive criticism is always welcome! 


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